Locating culture in accounting for self-harm amongst Asian young women

Epidemiological studies have suggested that the incidence of self-harm is o n the increase in the UK especially amongst Asian young women. Explanations of 'culture clash' and Asian culture as pathogenic are prevalent in clinic al psychological research. This paper reports findings from interviews with seven Asian young women with a history of self-harm and eight interviews w ith service providers. A discursive analysis of the accounts indicates dive rse construals of self-harm, which include 'release from distress', 'ending it all', 'effecting change' and '(taking) control', which are located with in narratives of distressful circumstances. These accounts implicate 'Asian ' culture in diverse ways including in relation to the creation and mainten ance of distress and to the access of pathways to support and care. These a ccounts are used to explore some implications for service provision that in clude: sites and sources of support and forms of care. It is argued that cl inical psychological research and practice should make central patients'/cl ients' meanings and needs (as located within broad socio-cultural circumsta nces) rather than privileging 'culture' to the neglect of other concerns. C opyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.